


How Far from Home

by iampotterlocked242



Category: Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beaches, Comfort, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Homesickness, Kinda, M/M, doesn't fall into canon timeline/etc., idk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:58:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9598712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iampotterlocked242/pseuds/iampotterlocked242
Summary: Lance is hit with the familiar feeling of homesickness. On a beach in a faraway planet, Lance discovers he's not the only one missing home.





	1. Chapter 1

Earthworms squirmed between his toes as his heels sunk into the mud. His tiny arms tightened around the bucket, determined not to break another toenail. Every raindrop kissed a hello, on his nose, his lips, and his face. He smiled as each drop melted into the sloshing water. A woman’s voice faintly echoed, and Lance recognized one of her words: dinner.

Lance’s eyes fly open. Someone was currently attempting to break his cabin’s doors down.

“Hurry up, beauty queen.” Lance pictured Keith’s gloved hand pounding on the door at every word, “You're going to use up all of the hot water!”

“It's not like you even shower with that greasy mullet!” Lance yelled back.

Gone was the rainy season of Varadero, and now he was stuck in space. The aluminum shower walls replaced open fields with welcoming palm trees and mellow beaches. His hand slowly turned the faucet with a creak, and water trickles down his ears. He regretted stepping from the clouds of steam into his cold room.

 _Home…_ His stomach flipped at the thought of it. Just remembering his mother’s lipsticked smiles moistened his eyes. _I don't even think we're in the same galaxy anymore. How many light years away are we?_

Space was a canvas, holding stars like white paint splotches left from a brush across the void. He’s been to planets out of his world, quite literally in the young paladin’s place. Yet new aliens and green goop could never beat his friends and his grandmother’s malanga fritters. Everyday became a headache stumbling into an underwater kingdom or meeting stone civilians. For once in his life, he wanted something familiar.

 _I miss rain… I miss home…_ Pulling his trusty baseball tee over his head, he looked into the mirror and wiped his tears. He stretched his lips far apart into the cheesiest smile he could do, but he still felt down. He slid his door open to greet Keith. Keith’s foot tapped as he pouted,

“We were about to ditch you.”

“Oh, sure.” Lance cast him aside with a waving hand. “I'm guessing ‘we’ just means you, pal.”

Keith followed after Lance with clumsy steps, his metal soles marching against the titanium floor with a resounding clink.

“Out of all places, Allura,” Shiro breathed after everyone stepped outside the castle, “we’re headed to a beach?”

“It's an extremely safe spot. I checked with Coran, and the coordinates confirm.” No longer in her paladin suit, she sported a rosy bikini. The wind rustled through her hair,creating a perfect Cumulus cloud.

The paladins gaze at the beach, whose black sand mimicked the night sky. White shells scattered about the soil like stars, and purple waves lapped at the ebony shore. The sea looked like grape soda and elicited a fascinating scent of passion fruit. A canoe lingered by a post, and the beach stretched for miles. When Lance took his shoes off, the grains pricked into every nerve of his foot.

“I'll race you to the water.” Pidge smirked at Hunk, who nervously glanced at Shiro. Shiro and Allura exchanged a look, and the four of them bolted towards the waves. T-shirts, pants, and belts hailed upon Lance as they revealed their swimsuits. Coran ambled behind in a purple Hawaiian shirt, camouflaging with the water. At least, Lance thought it was Coran, as the man’s arms were filled with multi-colored sand buckets.

“Jump in, Lance! I'll just be working on my sandcastle. It should look like the castle!” Coran twirled the edge of his mustache like a comical villain. Shiro splashed another miniature tsunami on Pidge, and he turned to face the two of them.

“Hey, where's Keith?” His raised arm glints in the sunlight, “I just saw him standing by Lance.”

“Maybe he went back to the castle?”

“I'll find him.” Lance noticed the jagged footprints in the sand. “Be right back!”

Their shouts of joy faded as Lance followed Keith’s trail into the jungle.


	2. Chapter 2

Trees shimmered with silver dew, and their plum branches stretched across the sky. The moist jungle contrasted against the cool, ocean breeze. He swatted away electric-blue bugs spinning around his face like tops. Light trickled in from an opening, and Lance saw someone sitting at the entrance. He maneuvered through the prickly bushes to find Keith, staring at the ocean. The secluded area was accompanied by the harrowing song of seabirds. Keith’s heels dug into the sand as the tide swallowed his ankles. He wrapped his arms around his knees, and he slightly rocked back and forth.

“What are you doing here?” Lance’s voice broke Keith out of the serenity, “Don't you want to hang out with everyone else?”

“I'm fine.” Keith kept his eyes trained on the waves.

Before asking, Lance pondered, _Does he want me to keep him company? The tide will wash out his footprints eventually, so he might not find his way back._

Keith and Lance haven't been the best friends. Either Keith took Lance’s jokes too seriously, or Lance envied the closeness between Keith and Allura. Lance’s use of puns were not meant to offend, and Keith and Allura were just friends. Friction still existed between the two, but they were considerably closer compared to back at the Academy.

Lance plopped down beside Keith. Although the scenery was beautiful, how Keith’s skin glowed in the amber sunlight made Lance feel a little funny. Yet Lance wondered why Keith snuck off. It's not strange that Keith’s angst often exhibits into self-reflection, but his mood was different. There was a transparent rain cloud hanging over that mullet, and Lance was determined to find out why.

“It's nice, right?” Lance’s voice echoed through the beach, “Kind of reminds me of home.” Keith only nodded.

“Do you miss home?” Keith’s quiet voice broke the silence.

Home made his heart throb, but the sinking sand with the singing sea did remind him of the beach near his uncle’s house. Whenever he went to visit, he substituted his stuffy dress wear into swim trunks and cannonballed into the sea. The capped waves reached for him with white arms, and they embraced. Lance would tumble toward the bottom, but the bouncing ocean always brought him up. The ocean was his friend.

Lance wanted to lie to Keith. He should have said, “No, space has cute aliens and rad shopping malls”, but home had been nagging him since his shower.

“Yeah. I do.” He ran a hand through his hair.“How about you?”

Keith’s silence was enough. The breeze whistled with the birds.

“I haven't really been to a beach.” Keith admitted, curling a lock behind his ear. “San Antonio’s not too close to the ocean.”

“Really? My uncle has a beach near his place. I used to go there as a kid.” He scooped up a handful of sand, watching the grains fall through like miniature charcoals. “Sheesh, is there even water in Texas?”

“No, we just drink milk from the cows.” Keith’s sarcasm surprised Lance, but Lance was all for it. “There's a couple of rivers. But yeah, Texas is pretty dry overall.”

He closed his eyes, remembering scabby knees running through the tall, yellowing grass. The environment was a big cat, with its fur waiting for Keith to run his fingers through. His hands threaded through each grain, and it tickled his palms. Sometimes he’d lie down and look at the stars. The overarching forage grass enveloped him in a earthy blanket. The earth was his bed, and the stars were his night lights. Every star had a different twinkle to it, and the galaxy’s snowflakes seemed so close. At that moment, Keith knew he had a connection with the beyond. His dad understood his passion and filled his room with book covers of Jupiter and the Milk Way.

“It's quiet at night. The cool night is a refresher from the blazing day.” The corners of Keith’s mouth lifted, “Sometimes, there were cows. My dad always tried to tip them.”

“We should try to tip Kaltenecker.” Keith laughed at Lance’s comment. Lance was expecting a growl, but the light, wheezy laughter made him snicker.

“Allura would be pissed. If she walked in on him laying on the floor, we'd be toast.” Their laughter subdued into chuckles. Noticing there was a foot between them, Lance inched a little closer, but he worried that Keith would feel uncomfortable. The other boy merely asked another question,

“What's your home like?”

“Beautiful. I'm from Varadero.” Keith and Lance had been in the castle for weeks, yet they didn't know where they came from. “The beaches there have the softest sand. When you plunge your hand into it, it becomes a part of the beach.”

Keith’s eyes widened. The poor boy probably hadn't felt sand until now.

“I think my most favorite part of home is the rain. As it falls,” Lance’s fingers fiddled down to imitate the raindrops, “each drop taps your face with the lightest touch. Texas doesn't have a lot of rain, right?”

Keith nodded, and his finger subconsciously drew swirls into the black sand.

“When it does rain, I stay inside. It's better watching the drops fall down the windows.” The raindrops were a lot like stars. Scattered across the window, they chased and dripped on the glass like comets.

“I don't know if we'll ever see rain again.” Lance mumbled half heartedly. Keith paused the finger swirling.

“You know, there are planets that have rain.” Lance perked his head up. Keith gave a weary smile, “Neptune and Saturn rain diamonds. Venus rains sulfuric acid. Take your pick.”

“I'll take riches over acid, thanks.” The two of them chuckled. Lance liked how Keith had a left dimple when he smiled.

“When we do get back to Earth, you should visit Varadero. There'll be real rain that you can watch and a beach you can walk on.” Lance’s cheeks tingled. Months before, he'd spit Keith’s name like it was rotten milk, and the two of them had their own verbal matches. Now their pinkies had slightly touched, and Lance wasn't sure if it was the water’s glimmer that reflected off of Keith’s cheeks.

“I'd like to visit.” Lance’s teeth flashed at him. Lance had his playboy smile, a sly smirk to whoo all the aliens, but his Jack O’ Lantern grin was infectious. Keith hoped he could see that smile more often. “I-I guess you can come to Texas for real...cows?” Keith scratched his head in bewilderment.

“I've already been to Texas. But thanks anyways, Keith.” “Aren't you cool.” Keith playfully punched his arm, and Lance’s elbow stung.

Sure enough, they heard Hunk’s worried voice ride with the wind. They stood before the jungle, and the boys turned to one another and smiled. This could be the moment where the competition ends, where morning bickering become affable greetings. Deep beneath his sweatshirt, Keith was hoping Lance could appreciate this bonding moment.

“Last one to the castle has to tip the cow!” Lance sped off into the foliage.

“W-What? C’mon!” Keith threw his hands up as Lance hooted.

_Every time we try to bond, that dumbo has to ruin the moment._ Keith’s ears sizzled, and he wasn't sure if it was the jungle heat or his blush. _I guess I can try again._

His legs picked up speed as he bolted after Lance, laughing at every step.

**Author's Note:**

> @creators of Voltron
> 
> Please give us a beach episode. But a fun one! :)
> 
> Leave a comment please! It warms my heart!
> 
> *A/N: I had no idea I accidentally published the two chapters! I'm so sorry! I fixed it, and it should be better now. Sorry for the inconvenience!


End file.
